SANDPOINT, Idaho. -- There are marathons, triathlons, Ironman races and then there is the feat of one Sandpoint firefighter
Gwen Le Tutour ran 100 miles in full firefighting gear on Sunday. It is something that has never been done before and he put himself to the test to inspire others. He also broke a world record.
On Saturday, Le Tutour ran back and forth between the main Selkirk fire station in Sandpoint and their station in nearby Dover. He did not stop to sleep or fully rest. He simply snacked and changed to a different set of gear.
The whole run took over 24 hours. He hopes doing this will send a message to others.
"You are in a place where your body is in extreme pain. Your mind is screaming for you to stop," Le Tutour said.
Le tutour is originally from France. He was a firefighter there before he met his wife, who is from Sandpoint. He is now with Selkirk Fire in Sandpoint. Le Tutour said his personal mission goes well beyond the station.
He and his wife started a nonprofit aimed at preventing cancer. Rather than preaching to others about what causes cancer, he wanted to inspire others to do things to prevent it in the first place.
“Everything came together. I'm going to run in firefighter gear because I am a firefighter and I want to save lives. And I'm going to run 100 miles because it's crazy," Le Tutour said.
He ran long distance races in France before but never in gear that weighing two dozen pounds. He said other firefighters have run 100 miles in the gear with the exception of the boots. Wearing those, he said, will set a world record.